Apple reportedly has prototypes for its third-generation iPad already circling in its supply chain, but no new model is expected to arrive this year as a true second-place tablet has yet to emerge.

Analyst Mark Moskowitz with J.P. Morgan revealed on Friday that his conversations with industry insiders have revealed that Apple's next iPad will not be available until sometime in 2012, even as prototypes for the device begin to circle in the supply chain.

"In our view, Apple should be in no rush," he said. "The other tablet entrants have stumbled so far, and that trend-line could persist deep into 2012."

Throughout 2011, reports persisted that Apple planned to release a high-end successor to the iPad 2, which was released in March. Rather than replace the iPad 2, it was said the new model would grow the iPad family, perhaps by offering a higher resolution display.

And while Apple works behind the scenes on its next iPad, in July an alleged "iPad 3" part was discovered. A report accompanying that component suggested the model would sport a "brand-new design."

But Apple should be in no rush to grow the iPad lineup, in Moskowitz's view, as competitors like Motorola and Research in Motion have disappointed with their own competing offerings. RIM announced on Thursday that it has shipped just 200,000 PlayBooks, far less than the 9.25 million iPads Apple sold in its most recent quarter.

Moskowitz believes the next tablet to stumble will come from Sony, which recently demoed new hardware. The analyst said he was not impressed by what he saw.

"To us, Sony's tablet lacks the refined, sleek feel of the iPad and its bezel-like back is not user-friendly," he wrote in a note to investors. "Lastly, the sony tablet runs on the Android O/S, which has failed to garner as much interest in tablets as it has in smartphones."

In fact, IDC announced on Wednesday that Apple's iPad 2 actually took market share away from Android tablets shipped in the second quarter of calendar 2011. Apple represented 68.3 percent of the market, growing its share as Android dropped to 26.8 percent of shipped hardware.

Moskowitz sees Amazon as having potential to create a true second-place tablet in the market, though he believes an e-reader carries "diminished user expectations" when compared to a full-fledged tablet, making the transition from e-ink to color touchscreen difficult. The device is expected to launch in the coming weeks with a 7-inch color touchscreen and a $250 price tag.

"Amazon's Kindle may not be a harbinger of the company's future success in tablets, in our view," he said. "Until we see how Amazon fares, we think the next potential threat to Apple's tablet dominance is not until late 2012 when Windows 8-based tablets could hit the market."

Too bad for those that invested into the other tablets. Especially that Xoom monstrosity that costs well over $800. I don't see an e-reader competing with the iPad anytime soon. You also have to eliminate the stigma of an e-reader, where its not up to par with a full fledged tablet, whether it is or not.

Apple has the thousand yard stare for Windows 8 tablets at the end of next year. Being able to see the competitions platform and innovate around it a full year out is one hell of an advantage. That is of course saying that the MS Windows 8 platform will have legs, and from the looks of things, having to have a fan inside a tablet spells major disaster.

An "amazon tablet" can hardly be considered "Android" when it lacks the Android Marketplace and tight integration of Google's services. That's the risk google took with open-sourcing android.

The whole idea behind android is to keep the door open to consumers so Google can deliver search results. They gave away the OS on smartphones and it worked - 50% marketshare. But it's not working on tablets. What happens when Windows 8 and iOS become the two major tablet platforms, and Apple suddenly switches the default search engine to Bing or Yahoo, and starts providing their own Maps service? Trouble in Mountain View.

Too bad for those that invested into the other tablets. Especially that Xoom monstrosity that costs well over $800. I don't see an e-reader competing with the iPad anytime soon. You also have to eliminate the stigma of an e-reader, where its not up to par with a full fledged tablet, whether it is or not.

Apple has the thousand yard stare for Windows 8 tablets at the end of next year. Being able to see the competitions platform and innovate around it a full year out is one hell of an advantage. That is of course saying that the MS Windows 8 platform will have legs, and from the looks of things, having to have a fan inside a tablet spells major disaster.

REALLY? You are going to pull the fan comment out? Dude, that hardware is not the final hardware by any means. It was merely run on the Samsung(?) tablets as an early developer demo. Did you even read the Windows 8 articles or are you just trying to spread FUD? The final product will run on a low-powered ARM processor....no fan, no heat.

I realize this is just a rumor but if I were Apple I'd wait too. More time to widen the gap by incorporating new concepts and better hardware as technology accelerates making these things available. Why tip your hand and allow others to copy your latest ideas sooner than needed. The others currently are aiming at the iPad 2 so let them bring out their clones based on that knowledge. Apple will shift the goal posts far more the longer they wait plus do far more damage to the copiers who just invested in their latest copies. I am sure Apple will be able to gear up and go into production very fast as soon as Tim drops the start flag leaving the clones chocking in the dust and their unsold inventory.

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

REALLY? You are going to pull the fan comment out? Dude, that hardware is not the final hardware by any means. It was merely run on the Samsung(?) tablets as an early developer demo. Did you even read the Windows 8 articles or are you just trying to spread FUD? The final product will run on a low-powered ARM processor....no fan, no heat.

Yes I hate FUD too. Talking of which, I'm wondering if between now and then MS might go back to their last prototype for ideas . You remember it, all the MS fans were so excited about it, you know the Courier? You should go back and read the posts on AI from that period. My god, it was going to be so wonderful. So building on that excitement again maybe they will have a dual screen with Mobile Windows on one and traditional Windows on the other and a fan you can select the direction, maybe even one for your face! Flash on one not on the other. Intel in one ARM in the other. They could market it as "The product for those who can't make up their minds from the company that can't either!"

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

When Microsoft's Internet Explorer was the overwhelming market leader, Microsoft sat on its laurels and didn't improve IE for a long while. IE and its users suffered.

Is Apple going to let the iPad atrophy just because it has no competition, or will Apple continue to provide improvements to its customers?

Heard of iOS 5? The great thing about Apple is they can take their custom built hardware and unleash a new powers and abilities just from software. Kind of the total reverse of Microsoft now i think about it.

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

REALLY? You are going to pull the fan comment out? Dude, that hardware is not the final hardware by any means. It was merely run on the Samsung(?) tablets as an early developer demo. Did you even read the Windows 8 articles or are you just trying to spread FUD? The final product will run on a low-powered ARM processor....no fan, no heat.

Dude, you have to also realize that Arm Processors don't run native Windows apps. All their legacy apps are and will be history. You will be forced to buy new apps if the hardware is Arm.

Intel is struggling also ... they make x86 processor for power and energy hungry Microsoft software (available now). Atom doesn't seem to have the horsepower Arm does. We'll have to wait and see. The focus on mobile is long battery life. Intel needs to redesign for mobile if it wants a future in mobile.

Dude, you have to also realize that Arm Processors don't run native Windows apps. All their legacy apps are and will be history. You will be forced to buy new apps if the hardware is Arm.

Intel is struggling also ... they make x86 processor for power and energy hungry Microsoft software (available now). Atom doesn't seem to have the horsepower Arm does. We'll have to wait and see. The focus on mobile is long battery life. Intel needs to redesign for mobile if it wants a future in mobile.

Microsoft has already said Windows 8 tablets will be Arm and that current software will not run on Windows 8 tablets..

I realize this is just a rumor but if I were Apple I'd wait too. More time to widen the gap by incorporating new concepts and better hardware as technology accelerates making these things available.

Bingo.

Keep the 3 ready to ramp into production but still add new goodies if/when possible in the production chain. The next "iPad killer" announcement could be mooted with a quick announcement of the iPad 3. Apple would drink their milkshake.

An analyst had a good comment after RIM's dismal earnings call "There isn't a tablet market, there is an iPad market."

I said it before. Apple will surely keep both the iPad and iPhone on at least a 18-24 month refresh cycle.
They will have to many customers, and way to many phones and pads to produce to keep it a yearly cycle.
They really don't have any competition that could catch up to them as far as what counts. MONEY.
Sure Android, Microsoft, etc.. will continue to make great efforts. But no way can they innovate like Apple. They will continue to struggle.
It is not a matter of chips and 4G, LTE, or most of the things the rest of these guys will figure out.
'Moving Puck'. They are still trying to figure out iPad 2. Apple is now working on iPad 4. Scary for this imitators.

The one that has sort of figured it out is Jeff Bezos. How great an idea was it for him to get
just one version off Android (all needed) and develop a Pad that will enhance his companies selling fortunes. Add to that the ability to see movies, listen to music. Everything is for sale.
He is the only one so far that has a vision rhat will work, not compete with Apple.

It was a liberating feeling, when S. Jobs stated "We have to let go of this Apple, Microsoft argument. Microsoft won a long time ago.".
That freed up Apple to concentrate on the one and only, most important thing. Do the best possible product possible.
Now look at the techno landscape.

S. Jobs mantra probably was, "It's my way or the highway."

J. Bezos' probably is, "where there is a will, there is a way."

Right now Bezos is probably the defacto top CEO as far as all the tech kings. Kudos to him.

But. As such even Amazon is no competition for Apple.
That will be the case for at least 5 years or more.
That deserves at least a pat on the back.

When Microsoft's Internet Explorer was the overwhelming market leader, Microsoft sat on its laurels and didn't improve IE for a long while. IE and its users suffered.

Is Apple going to let the iPad atrophy just because it has no competition, or will Apple continue to provide improvements to its customers?

It's going to take a while before it atrophies. it's Apple, they stick to their schedule. Right now they are maximizing profit by increasing efficiencies of scale. That profit will then go into R+D to fund iPad 5 or whichever one they are working on now.

...and this is why competition is so important. Without it, any company would do what Apple's doing: the bare minimum to keep raking it in.

Yeah, it's appalling that Apple has only revolutionized the portable MP3 player, cell phone and tablet markets in the last few years and led the way in encouraging Intel to try to create competition in the 'ultra book' market. Too bad Apple never does anything unless someone else does it first....

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

An "amazon tablet" can hardly be considered "Android" when it lacks the Android Marketplace and tight integration of Google's services. That's the risk google took with open-sourcing android.

The whole idea behind android is to keep the door open to consumers so Google can deliver search results. They gave away the OS on smartphones and it worked - 50% marketshare. But it's not working on tablets. What happens when Windows 8 and iOS become the two major tablet platforms, and Apple suddenly switches the default search engine to Bing or Yahoo, and starts providing their own Maps service? Trouble in Mountain View.

If Windows 8 takes off, you really think Apple would make Bing it's default search and maps provider? That's like free advertising for your competitor's products and services. That and I doubt MS would ever pay Apple (like Google does) to be the default service provider on iOS. And all that is aside from the user experience qualms Apple has, namely that Bing sucks and is particularly atrocious outside the US. If they default to Bing outside the US, just watch the dissatisfaction as users start complaining about how the search engine and maps suck on the iPhone. Google maps is now good enough for Bentley and Audi to use in their cars. Is Bing anywhere close?

As for Amazon not being Android, that remains to be seen. We'll see if it's a fork like what Baidu is doing or its just an Amazon skin without Google apps. If it's the latter, it'll very much remain Android and I strongly suspect that Google will quickly make all their apps available in the Amazon App Store. And don't forget, with Android, you can install apps from outside your native app store if you choose to.

When Microsoft's Internet Explorer was the overwhelming market leader, Microsoft sat on its laurels and didn't improve IE for a long while. IE and its users suffered.

Is Apple going to let the iPad atrophy just because it has no competition, or will Apple continue to provide improvements to its customers?

Actually, Apple has done a fine job at moving the shrinking PMP market to their iPod touch, now the top selling iPod model.

Apple sells approximately 2 iPod touches for every three iPhones. The demographic of the iPod touch is 13-24 year olds, whereas the iPhone is 25-49. As Steve mentioned, the iPod touch is training wheels for the iPhone and these kids with iPod touches will eventually graduate from school, get jobs, and switch to the iPhone.

PMP manufacturers like iRiver and Sansa really have nowhere to go as when their users switch to smartphones.

Yeah, it's appalling that Apple has only revolutionized the portable MP3 player, cell phone and tablet markets in the last few years and led the way in encouraging Intel to try to create competition in the 'ultra book' market. Too bad Apple never does anything unless someone else does it first....

Hey. I didn't say that. Apple is a phenomenally innovative company. However, I strongly suspect that like all companies they would pick higher profits over increased iterative product innovation if given the opportunity. I really do believe that the iPhone 4 would really have been the iPhone 5 if Apple didn't have Android breathing down its neck.

Just look at the leaps from iPhone to iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS. None of them compare to the leap to iPhone 4 from the 3GS, imho. And I strongly suspect that has something to do with the iPhone facing a more competitive market.

Totally agree... I have the iPad 1 and 2. They're amazing. I would like to buy an Android tablet, but there is nothing out there that appeals to me yet. I was hoping Amazon would come out with something amazing, but that's not going to happen. Apple should hold off on the iPad 3 if the iPad 2 is still selling well. Still wish there was a 7 inch iPad. Will likely get the Galaxy Tab 7.7

...and this is why competition is so important. Without it, any company would do what Apple's doing: the bare minimum to keep raking it in.

I see no evidence of Apple doing that. If that were the case, Apple would not have released the iPad 2 since it still hadn't faced any real competition in the tablet market (and still doesn't). I personally have no problem with an annual release cycle. Not every company needs to release a dozen model of products every 6-8 weeks.

Hey. I didn't say that. Apple is a phenomenally innovative company. However, I strongly suspect that like all companies they would pick higher profits over increased iterative product innovation if given the opportunity. I really do believe that the iPhone 4 would really have been the iPhone 5 if Apple didn't have Android breathing down its neck.

Just look at the leaps from iPhone to iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS. None of them compare to the leap to iPhone 4 from the 3GS, imho. And I strongly suspect that has something to do with the iPhone facing a more competitive market.

I doubt anyone would disagree that competition drives the effort to attain excellence, but it is not necessarily all or nothing - there is a spectrum of responses to market forces, or lack of them. Apple did demonstrate continued innovation even while dominating the music player market. Could they have raised their game further if threatened? Probably yes.

I see no evidence of Apple doing that. If that were the case, Apple would not have released the iPad 2 since it still hadn't faced any real competition in the tablet market (and still doesn't). I personally have no problem with an annual release cycle. Not every company needs to release a dozen model of products every 6-8 weeks.

I should clarify my viewpoint. I don't think Apple should deviate from the annual release cycle. And I don't them not deviating from that cycle as being lazy.

What I am suggesting is that the iterations will be not be as huge if they don't face competitive pressures. After all, why put out a 10 inch retina display on your tablet if you know the competition can't come close to matching what's there now, and customers will keep buying whatever you put out?

I should clarify my viewpoint. I don't think Apple should deviate from the annual release cycle. And I don't them not deviating from that cycle as being lazy.

What I am suggesting is that the iterations will be not be as huge if they don't face competitive pressures. After all, why put out a 10 inch retina display on your tablet if you know the competition can't come close to matching what's there now, and customers will keep buying whatever you put out?

I disagree. If Apple could put out a retina display iPad that had the same (or most likely better is what it would shoot for) battery life, it would release it close to its release cycle regardless of competition for bragging rights alone.